It is known in the computer art to use a thumbnail image to provide a representation of a full-sized image stored on a computer. In its current embodiment, the thumbnail image is merely a low-resolution version of the full-sized image created, for example, by sub-sampling the full-sized image. Associated with the thumbnail image is a link, such as a hyperlink. The link may be used to access the computer storage location of the full-sized image counterpart of the thumbnail image whereby the full-sized image may be retrieved and displayed.
To retrieve the full-sized image, a user is typically required to interact with the displayed thumbnail image. This interaction is often accomplished by positioning a cursor over a portion of the thumbnail image. Once the cursor is positioned over the thumbnail image, the thumbnail image may be selected, for example, by clicking an appropriate mouse button. In response to this interaction, the application associated with the display of the thumbnail image, such as a Web browser, initiates the retrieval of the entire full-sized image from its storage location. Once retrieved, the entirety of the full-sized image is available for display.
Methods for creating thumbnail images are also well known in the art. By way of example, Microsoft's “FRONTPAGE” brand Web site creation and management tool provides the software needed to create thumbnail images. Using the “FRONTPAGE” brand editor, the user selects a full-sized image on a page and chooses “Auto Thumbnail” from the “Tools” menu. In response to this selection, the “FRONTPAGE” brand editor creates the thumbnail image as well as a hyperlink to the full-sized image. Once the thumbnail and link are created, the full-sized image remains accessible to the end user through activation of the thumbnail image in the manner described above.
The use of thumbnail images to represent full-sized images has many advantages. For example, a primary advantage associated with the use of thumbnail images is a conservation of system resources, such as network bandwidth, CPU processing time, etc. This conservation of system resources results from the low-resolution nature of the thumbnail image that minimizes the amount of information that is required to be initially downloaded and displayed. Accordingly, a system can accommodate the downloading and display of multiple thumbnail images representing multiple full-sized images, such as pages of a document, using relatively smaller amounts of system resources when compared to the amount of system resources required to present the same information in its full-sized format.
While the representation of full-sized images through the use of low-resolution thumbnail images provides the advantages noted above, there still remains drawbacks associated with their use. For example, the low-resolution thumbnail image representation of the full-sized image is often of such poor quality that a user is not able to discern what information is actually contained within the counterpart full-sized image. This is particularly true of images containing text and associated high frequency information. Furthermore, since activation of the thumbnail image results in the downloading of the entire file comprising the full-sized image, the primary benefit associated with the use of thumbnail images, namely conserving system resources, is effectively defeated.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved method and system for using a thumbnail image to display information. In particular, a need exists for a method and system for use in browsing information presented to a user in the form of a low-resolution image. This is especially desirable for use in connection with hand-held devices, such as personal digital assistants, where there is limited screen real-estate.